CINCINNATI (AP) – Javier Valentin hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Cincinnati Reds over the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 Sunday.

Austin Kearns hit a pinch-hit single off Arizona closer Jose Valverde with one out in the ninth. Valentin followed with his first career pinch-hit drive.

David Weathers (2-2) allowed two hits in two scoreless innings to get the win as the Reds avoided a sweep of the three-game series. Valverde (2-2) blew his second save in 16 opportunities.

The Diamondbacks wasted a strong major league debut by Enrique Gonzalez, who allowed three hits and one run in six innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked one.

Ryan Freel led off the first inning with a home run off Gonzalez, who was called up from Triple-A Tucson on Friday. Freel’s first homer of the season snapped the Reds’ streak of consecutive scoreless innings at 21.

Luis Gonzalez had a two-run double and Conor Jackson added an RBI single as Arizona led 4-1 after six innings.

Jorge Julio pitched a scoreless seventh for the Diamondbacks but Scott Hatteberg hit a two-run homer off Brandon Lyon in the eighth to get Cincinnati within one. Hatteberg’s third homer of the season bounced off the top of the right-field fence.

Reds starter Bronson Arroyo, who gave up a career-high 11 hits in six innings of a 3-1 loss at Arizona on May 6, continued to have problems with the Diamondbacks. He allowed seven hits and four runs with three walks and six strikeouts.

Notes: Reds manager Jerry Narron was ejected by plate umpire Larry Vanover in the bottom of the seventh for arguing balls and strikes. The ejection was Narron’s second of the season. … Freel’s leadoff homer was the second of his career. … Reds C David Ross bunted for a hit to lead off the eighth and extend his hitting streak to a career-high six games. … SS Felipe Lopez was caught stealing in the third. Lopez already has a career-high 16 stolen bases, none in three tries since May 11.

AP-ES-05-28-06 1629EDT


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